New rules for bear trapping and moose and goose hunting

The Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Advisory Council adopted a last-minute rule significantly changing the way traps can be set for bears.

DIFW noted that the purpose of this rule is to limit bear trapping methods that may accidentally capture the federally threatened Canada Lynx. More specifically, the rule prohibits placing bait and/or lures below ground level or within the loop of the snare, and will prohibit cable traps that are designed to capture a bear when it reaches into the device to obtain bait or lure.

I am told that quite a few bear trappers use this method, so this is a significant restriction.

Moose

In response to the interest of Governor LePage in expanding hunting opportunities for disabled veterans, the number of permits issued for the Aroostook County moose hunt has been increased from 25 to 30.

The hunt is limited to disabled veterans and designed to reduce moose numbers in areas where they are causing damage to crops, particularly broccoli fields.

The Bureau of Veterans Services, working with DIFW, will select 30 disabled veterans to participate in this fall’s hunt.

Geese

Geese have been removed as a species allowed for hunting during special falconry season. This was done to comply with federal guidelines.

In 2018 – 19 USFWS allows Maine to offer 107 days of goose hunting. Geese are not a species pursued by falconers and was an oversight added in prior rulemaking.

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About George Smith

George stepped down at the end of 2010 after 18 years as the executive director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine to write full time. He writes a weekly editorial page column in the Kennebec Journal and Waterville Morning Sentinel, a weekly travel column in those same newspapers (with his wife Linda), monthly columns in The Maine Sportsman magazine, two outdoor news blogs (one on his website, georgesmithmaine.com, and one on the website of the Bangor Daily News), and special columns for many publications and newsletters.
Islandport Press published a book of George's favorite columns, "A Life Lived Outdoors" in 2014.
In 2014, George also won a Maine Press Association award for writing the state's bet sports blog. In 2016, Down East Books published George's book, Maine Sporting Camps, and Islandport Press published George and his wife Linda's travel book, Take It From ME, about their favorite Maine inns and restaurants.
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George Smith

George stepped down at the end of 2010 after 18 years as the executive director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine to write full time. He writes a weekly editorial page column in the Kennebec Journal and Waterville Morning Sentinel, a weekly travel column in those same newspapers (with his wife Linda), monthly columns in The Maine Sportsman magazine, two outdoor news blogs (one on his website, georgesmithmaine.com, and one on the website of the Bangor Daily News), and special columns for many publications and newsletters.
Islandport Press published a book of George's favorite columns, "A Life Lived Outdoors" in 2014.
In 2014, George also won a Maine Press Association award for writing the state's bet sports blog. In 2016, Down East Books published George's book, Maine Sporting Camps, and Islandport Press published George and his wife Linda's travel book, Take It From ME, about their favorite Maine inns and restaurants.